updated 12:05 pm EST, Mon December 19, 2011

Google may have Nexus tablet by Google IO

Google chairman Eric Schmidt in an interview with Italy's Corriere Della Sera raised the prospect of a Nexus tablet. The search firm planned to sell a tablet of the "highest quality" within six months' time. He didn't mention the Nexus label by name, but Google usually hasn't marketed anyone else's tablet itself, even for the reference Xoom.

The timing is such that it would nearly dovetail with plans for Google I/O in June. Google regularly gives away a free device at Google I/O to attendees of the developer-focused show, usually to showcase a new OS. Tips have hinted it might have release Jelly Bean, possibly Android 4.5 or 5.0, at or by the event.

A reference tablet would be an admission that Android tablets may be headed in the same direction as smartphones, where the stock interface becomes the rarity rather than the norm. Most Android 3 tablets launched in 2011 have used the stock interface, but later models and post-launch updates have customized the interface and both guaranteed delayed updates as well as clouded the ability to see the official Google experience.

The tablet would likely be made by a partner like HTC, Motorola, or Samsung, but it would still represent Google co-designing a direct competitor to both other Android partners and to Apple's iPad.

In other comments, Schmidt wouldn't comment on the rumored Majel voice command system, saying he wouldn't comment on future, unannounced products. He insisted Google has long had the "best" voice dictation system and could use it to do things similar to Apple's Siri. The iPhone 4S-based system has been touted as better since it understands context, follow-ups, and indirect questions where Android's system is limited to specific syntax. [viaNotebook Italia]

Kindle

Google may have to take their droid tablet future into their own hands. Amazon has officially made the case that it is not necessary to use the latest Droid OS and therefore if Google wants keep Droid relevant and a true competitor to the iPad they must build there own hardware. The droid fracturing theory has become fact . It won't be long before the also rans exit the tablet market and go back to (not) selling mini-notebooks.

Google = perpetual beta

Google makes some neat stuff. But it's all flash in the pan. Rarely can they come up with a lasting great idea, and even worse, they can't come up with a complete product that sticks.

This 'reference' model that they are using now lets Google market their cool new ideas and have ONE obscure product that gets them up front, but manufacturers are stuck with older versions for 6 months minimum. I hear a lot of people talking about ICS features for their Android phones, and how that's much better than what IOS has. And then I ask them when their phone will actually GET those features, and I'm greeted with a blank stare. Amazing how google convinces their customer base that just because they have an android phone, they can brag about features that they will never get to use.

windows tablet

The iPad is not going to keep up 80-90% marketshare forever. Eventually there will be another competitor. I wonder if this announcement from Google opens up the door for Windows Tablet. Android tablets have not ever really caught on (possible exception is Kindle Fire). By telling people to wait 6 more months before buying any google tablets, he's assured that the situation won't change before then. Not sure when windows 8 is coming out, but this buys them 6 more months. It would be interesting to see how that would affect phone sales. I would assume that many peiople like having one provider for both phone & tablet (or at least one OS) to share apps, etc. If Droid is the big guy in phones, but doesn't take off in tablets and Microsoft takes off in tablets, but lags in phones, it would be interesting to see if that fragmentation pushed people to iOS.

Google is the new Microsoft

n

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